Saturday, October 26, NC cast and crew of “The Red Velvet Cake War” attended the One Act Competition hosted by Cherokee High School. Students performed their show for the competition’s three judges and a vast audience consisting of other competing schools such as Marietta High School, Etowah High School, Cherokee High School, North Paulding High School and Wheeler High School as well as family and friends of the NC community.
NC’s production of “The Red Velvet Cake War” left the audience bursting with laughter as it followed the story of the wacky antics taking place at the family reunion of a unique trio of cousins. The script included a variety of colorful characters including Purvis Verdeen, a death-obsessed photographer played by senior Ray McIntosh, Aubrey Verdeen, a 90-year-old sassy grandpa played by magnet senior Zorian Lang and Elsa Dowdall, a lovestruck German psychologist played by junior Ryan Mason.
“My favorite part of the One Act competition was getting to act on stage alongside my best friends for other schools to see. I had a lot of fun meeting other theater departments, they were all so kind and talented. I am excited to see them again at Thescon,” McIntosh said.
The host of the competition, the Cherokee High School Thespian Troupe, put on a production of “Arsenic and Old Lace,” a comedic period piece featuring a beautiful set and intricate costuming, as well as hilarious actors and witty dialogue. North Paulding High School performed a production of “Into the Woods Jr.,” a classic fairy-tale-based musical following the stories of Cinderella, Jack from “Jack and the Beanstalk,” Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel and other iconic childhood characters. Etowah High School shared a unique production of “Eurydice,” a modern take on the Greek mythological story of Orpheus and Eurydice. Wheeler High School’s production of “All My Sons” shocked viewers with the story’s gut-wrenching emotional family drama and slow-building dramatic plot. Marietta High School’s production of “Peter and the Starcatcher” wowed audiences with its stunning and laugh-out-loud depiction of the backstory of the iconic character Peter Pan.
Throughout the day, students from each school took chances to befriend each other and forge connections based on a shared love for theater. While awaiting the judges’ decision, students from several of the schools enjoyed dancing together to popular songs, including “HOT TO GO!” by Chappell Roan and “Cotton Eyed Joe” by Rednex. Ultimately, Etowah High School took first place with their entertaining production of “Eurydice,” winning separate awards for best hair, makeup and best ensemble. The group’s performance thoroughly engaged audiences and the viewers felt the production deserved the win.
NC won fifth place overall, and sophomore Katelyn Mckoon and magnet junior Chase Wilson won All-Star Awards for their outstanding performances. The three judges scored NC’s show with a 90, an 89 and an 86 out of 100. The scores reflected multiple aspects of the shows including set, acting, costumes and makeup, along with several others.
“I am still in shock that I won an All-Star Actor Award. I cannot believe the judges awarded me for doing what I love and acting crazy on stage. I am so grateful and excited for this honor. My favorite part of One Act was getting to interact with the actors who I just watched perform. I loved hearing about their productions along with sharing about mine. I personally think we did really well. I think the audience laughed a lot and we probably [had] the funniest show there,” Mckoon said.
All in all, NC students hold pride in their performance and remain excited for the rest of the shows for this year, including “Descendants the Musical” and “Mamma Mia.” Next year, NC drama students will return to One Act Competition with a dramatic play, rather than a comedic one, and hope to improve their performances with the help of their experience from this year.
